This invention relates to a repetitive motion apparatus, particularly, a passive exercise apparatus for exercising the entire body and providing cardiovascular stimulation and conditioning.
In recent years, the need for health care and overall body conditioning has been raised in the consciousness of the general population. Renewed interest has been sparked in taking care of the body. The number of exercise clubs has mushroomed and a multitude of fitness programs are available to the consumer. But very little has been provided for those not able to engage in strenuous exercise. Those individuals who suffer from arthritis, heart problems, high blood pressure and obesity related health problems are not able to participate in strenuous exercise or operate most exercise equipment which is currently available.
Walker, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 2,893,380, discloses a massage and exercise machine including a mechanism for manipulating the hips and shoulders of a patient, a mechanism for moving the legs of the patient in various manners and a mechanism for stretching the arms of the patient to various degrees. The hips and shoulder mechanism moves in various orbits in a horizontal plane for manipulating the hips and shoulders of a patient lying in a horizontal position on the exercise machine. While lying in the horizontal position, the patient may place his legs and feet upon the leg pads of the leg action mechanism. The leg pads move opposed to one another so that the motion of the legs can simulate a bicycle exercise or a straight knee-bend exercise. The arm stretch mechanism of the machine is positioned behind the head rest and comprises reciprocating spaced hand bars which are gripped by the hands of the patient to obtain various degrees of backward arm stretch.
Tietsworth, U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,909, discloses a health care machine for exercising a patient's arms and legs in which one arm and an opposite leg are alternatively raised and lowered. Synchronized exercising is provided wherein one of the arms is bent at the elbow and an opposite leg is bent at the knee by being alternatively raised and lowered.
Kessler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,917, discloses a passive exercise machine including a head pad, two shoulder pads, two buttock pads and two foot pads which move relative to each other in predetermined ways. The two hip pads, working together, provide a repetitive squeezing and loosening action against the patient's hips. An adjustable reciprocating arm over the head pad is also provided.
Kennard, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2.949,911 discloses a body exercising table including a movable table top mounted on a base. The table top comprises two parts which are secured together for simultaneous oscillatory movement. A pair of independently moving platforms are mounted between the two movable parts of the table top. A foot and hand bar assembly is mounted on the top of the table top adjacent one end of the supporting frame. Operation of the exercise table is controlled by an electronic sequence timer which is mounted on the table base.
The benefits of passive exercise have been known for quite sometime, however, prior art apparatus are limited in their ability to provide strenuous exercise for the entire body and fail to provide complete cardiovascular stimulation. The exercise apparatus of the present disclosure overcomes the disadvantages of available apparatus.